


Mother’s Graves

by Toomanyfandoms99



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Afterlife, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Heaven, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-15
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-11-18 17:20:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18124214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toomanyfandoms99/pseuds/Toomanyfandoms99
Summary: Mary even got mail, twice a year.  On her birthday, and on her death day.And by mail, she doesn’t mean letters.She meant messages from Earth.





	Mother’s Graves

**Author's Note:**

> This will be my last oneshot for a while, unless an episode spurs me to write a coda. Enjoy!

Mary Winchester had a wonderful Heaven.

She lived in a big house, surrounded by acres of open land. She had a barn where she kept tools and a two-car garage. She had a porch swing and a stable of horses in the backyard.

She knew the horses weren’t real, but they comforted her.

Mary even got mail, twice a year. On her birthday, and on her death day.

And by mail, she doesn’t mean letters.

She meant messages from Earth.

It was a hard concept for Mary to grasp, at first. But she thought it was a lovely system, meant to soothe the dead and inform them on how life progressed in their absence.

In her mailbox, on her birthday and death day, Mary received a screen where her grave visits played like a movie. She saw her sons grow with each passing year, when they came to freshen up her tomb with bouquets of flowers. They sat and talked, about anything and everything.

As time had passed, though, Dean and Sam didn’t frequent her grave as they used to. Mary understood that. People had to move on, and return when needed.

Mary didn’t let it bother her that much. She had a social life in Heaven. She had friends, and she met people she never had in life. She knew people who had died in war zones and starred in movies and lived simple suburban lives.

What she hadn’t expected, though, was the screen she received on what would have been her fifty-fifth birthday.

Mary died when she was forty, fifteen years after having Dean and ten years after having Sam. Dean had spent fifteen years with her, and fifteen years without her. It was a time for contemplation, a time to wallow in sadness and reflect on the monumental change.

Instead of the image Mary had anticipated, Dean Winchester was grinning.

Dean was thirty years old, but he didn’t look a day past twenty. His youth had yet to diminish. His eyes shone a bright emerald green, his prominent freckles refused to fade, and he was so ridiculously happy it was almost maniacal.

Dean had chosen a bouquet of pure white calla lilies, her favorite flower. He looked upon her tombstone as if she were real, as if she were truly there and corporeal with him.

“Hi, Mom,” Dean said happily, “I have some really wonderful news.”

Mary settled on her couch and leaned forward, intrigued at her eldest son’s joviality.

“I met someone!” Dean proclaimed, his eyes crinkling and his lips upturning with mirth.

Mary’s eyebrows shot upwards as she stared at the screen in her lap.

Never had Dean ever said that before.

Then, as if the happiness was sucked out his being, Dean was his usual pensive self. “I know we didn’t really...talk about it, but...you must have known. You must have known.” Dean stared at the engraving of Mary’s name on the tombstone uncertainly. “You must have. Yes.” He nodded, as if trying to convince himself. “He’s...a he.” Dean laughed, his emotions switching on a dime. “Yeah. He’s a he. That sounded funny, huh?”

“I knew,” Mary said softly to herself.

Mary knew Dean couldn’t hear her, but his smile almost convinced her he could.

Dean started to talk a mile a minute, filled with confidence. “His name is Castiel Novak. Funny name, huh? He hates it, thank God. I call him Cas. I like the way it sounds when it rolls off my tongue.” Dean tested in various inflections, “Cas. Cas. Cas.” He chuckled giddily. “Anyway, he visited my garage,” Dean paused, then said excitedly, “I have my own garage now, Mom.” His grin lingered. “It’s all mine. I get to fix cars and be my own boss.” Dean cleared his throat. “Anyway, um, he came into the garage with this,” he eyes were faraway, and he chuckled, “horrible beat-up Jetta,” he wrinkled his nose, “it was orange. Goddamn orange, Mom. The worst color of the rainbow.” Dean’s smile turned wan. “I was so mad, Mom. So mad at this car. It was awful. I was about to tell this guy he needs a new goddamn car immediately,” he laughed, “but then I realized he was,” Dean blushed, “really, really hot. And, like,” he chuckled nervously, as if Mary were judging him from beyond the grave, “I saw him, and I couldn’t concentrate.” Dean pointed to his temple. “My brain short circuited. I wasn’t home anymore.” As if something spurred him quiet, Dean said, “yeah, so I asked Cas out, and we’ve been on a few dates, and it’s really great. It’s going really great. And get this,” Dean smiled wryly, “he’s a college professor.”

“Oh, honey,” Mary touched the screen, “that’s wonderful.”

“Sam had a field day with that one,” Dean said, huffing out a laugh. “Anyway, um, the reason I’m telling you on your birthday and everything is because...I didn’t want to think about the bad. And I thought you should know I’m...I’m happy.” He said softly, “even if you can’t hear me up there, I thought you should know I’m finally doing alright. So you don’t need to worry about me, okay?” Dean touched the petals of the calla lilies lightly. “I love you, Mom. Happy fifty-fifth birthday.”

Dean looked off to his left, a shadow approaching. He grinned at the man. “Hey, Sammy. Come on down. This is where the party’s at.”

Sam snickered and he sat crisscrossed beside Dean. Unlike Dean, Sam distanced himself from the graveyard as often as possible. Mary understood that both of her sons had their own way of dealing with loss.

Sam’s hair was long, almost enough to gather in a bun at the back of his head. He wore layers upon layers of clothing, his eyes tired yet calm.

“How did the interview go?” Dean asked.

Sam smiled softly. “I got it.”

“What?!” Dean beamed as he pulled his younger brother into a tight one-armed hug. “Hear that, Mom? Sammy’s gonna be a lawyer!”

Mary chuckled. It seemed that both of her sons were doing wonderful.

Sam pulled back from Dean and said, “happy birthday, Mom. I have news.”

Dean furrowed his eyebrows and observed his brother. “Really?”

Sam flushed and focused on the tombstone. “I’m seeing someone.”

Dean’s mouth fell open. “Dude! What?!”

“And it’s a guy.”

Dean gasped and grinned widely. “Really?!” He was absolutely ecstatic. “Mom and I wanna know everything!”

“Yes we do,” Mary said to herself.

Sam said quietly, “his name is Gabriel Smith. I’ve been going to this bakery for a few weeks, and uh, I saw this cute guy there, and it turns out he owns the store,” he fixed his hair, a nervous tick, “so yeah, I thought what the hell, and I asked him out. Things are going good so far.”

Dean tugged Sam into another affectionate hug. “That’s awesome, Sammy. I’m proud of you.”

Mary blew a kiss to her screen. “I’m proud of you both.”

“Okay,” Dean said, “we should get drinks. It’s been a good day.”

“One beer,” Sam acquiesced.

“Alright.” Dean patted the headstone. “Love you, Mom.”

“Love you too, Mom,” Sam said with a soft smile.

Dean and Sam stood, leaving Mary with her bouquet of calla lilies. The screen blacked out.

Mary wiped away a single tear. “Love you both.”

————

After conversing with her friends and coming up with nil, Mary went to Heaven’s library.

It was an endless building that could be accessed by all residents. Mary was able to teleport her corporeal form there, and anywhere she wished.

She lost herself in eternal stacks of alphabetical surnames. She went to the ‘N’ section, searching through binders of Novaks.

Mary was shocked to see generations of Novaks going back to the Roman age. It might be one of the longest-lasting family lines in history, just by sheer luck.

She found pages filled with a family tree. She flipped to the more recent entry, currently the bottom of the tree. She noted the inclination towards religious names as the family tree evolved.

Godfried and Gaia Novak had many children: Michael, Raphael, Hannah, Balthazar, Samandriel, and finally, Castiel.

Mary looked to the side at Gaia’s sister’s family. 

What she saw there shocked her.

The surname on that branch of family, except for Hester Novak, Gaia’s sister, was Smith.

And their only child? Gabriel Smith.

Mary put her hand over her mouth to stifle laughs.

Her sons attracted the same type of man, it seemed.

Castiel Novak and Gabriel Smith were cousins. Mary wished she could see the looks on Dean and Sam’s faces when this was discovered. Unfortunately, she could only see the area where her grave rested on Earth.

She would have to be patient for their next visit, on her death day in a few short weeks.

Until then…

————

Gaia Novak’s Heaven was several acres of farmland, similar to Mary’s own. Gaia’s home looked to be straight from the past, the type of three-story building where a Southern plantation once housed dozens. Corn fields and an apple orchard took up the rest of the property, and was all for show, since corporeal beings did not eat.

An oak tree near the property had a tire swing, the rope worn from when the children must have played on it in life.

Mary stood on the rickety porch and knocked on the door before she could second guess herself.

A woman with long black hair and startlingly blue eyes answered the door. “Yes?” She asked timidly, her hands smoothing nervously over a floral sundress.

Mary put on a smile. “Hi, I’m Mary Winchester. You don’t know me, but I’m here because-”

Gaia left her door wide open. “I’ve been expecting you. Come in.”

Mary’s eyebrow raised, and she stepped inside the large house. Gaia lead her to a sitting room, off to the left side of the main room. The right side held a winding staircase that reached both upper floors.

Gaia sat in a large cushioned chair, motioning for Mary to take the loveseat. Mary sat with her legs crossed, choosing not to lean back and look too comfortable.

“You were expecting me?” Mary prompted.

“I was,” Gaia replied. “I received messages on my death day a week ago. I’m surprised you found out so soon.”

“It was my birthday,” Mary said. “As you know, I’m here about Castiel.”

“Yes.” Gaia smiled. “My youngest son, and, I must admit,” she leaned forward a little, “my favorite boy.”

Mary nodded a little. “I hope you don’t mind this, but I found your family tree. You have six children, yes?”

“Yes,” Gaia said, “and you have two sons. I looked at your family tree as well, but figured I would wait until you arrived here yourself.”

Mary smiled shyly. “I have to ask...you seem like a very religious woman. Are you at all-”

“No,” Gaia said. “I love my son the same. The people that don’t read the Bible in its entirety are the ones who discriminate on the basis of sexuality. People like...my two oldest sons.”

Mary frowned. 

Gaia sighed. “There was nothing that could be done for Michael and Raphael. They got their ideals from the people around them, not from the scripture. It didn’t help that they were angry young men when I died.” She waved it off. “But you don’t want to hear about that.”

Mary pursed her lips and took the offered topic change. “I wanted to...see a picture of your son, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“Only if I get to see yours as well,” Gaia said slyly.

“Of course.” Mary closed her eyes and focused, the screen she received earlier materializing in her hands. She pulled up an image of a grinning Dean and froze it in place.

Gaia held up her screen first. Castiel Novak was a spitting image of the woman before her. Messy black hair that any mother would want to habitually fix, eyes so blue they could drive anyone mad, and one of the most handsome faces Mary had ever seen.

As if on her train of thought, Gaia smiled. “He’s a real picture, isn’t he?”

Mary nodded slowly.

“He was blessed with good looks and a good heart. I couldn’t ask for more.” Gaia’s smile faded with a tinge of sadness. She turned the screen away.

Mary held up her screen. “This was his face when he told me about your son.”

Gaia studied Dean’s face and smiled genuinely. “They must make a handsome couple.”

Mary nodded in agreement. She turned off the screen and said, “this isn’t the only reason I’m here.”

Gaia made a “go on” motion.

Mary said, “in this same video, my other son told me he’s dating Gabriel Smith.”

Gaia smiled, covering her mouth in a surprisingly girlish giggle. “The odds of that are nearly impossible. My goodness.”

Mary smirked. “I gathered that my sons don’t know yet.”

“Oh my.” Gaia giggled. “This is most interesting. I should find my sister.” Her eyes widened with an idea. “We should go together to see Hester.”

“I’d like that,” Mary said.

————

Hester Novak’s Heaven was small and cozy, a complete contrast to her sister. Hester’s house was one-story, with not much land surrounding it. A few trees dotted the front yard and Mary noticed an imaginary dog exploring the backyard.

Mary and Gaia knocked on Hester’s front door.

When Hester was revealed to them, she was the antithesis of Gaia. Hester was short, curvy, and stout. She had short mousy brown hair, but her eyes were a unique brown-gold color. Mary could honestly say she had never seen anything like Hester’s eyes before.

Hester regarded her sister with a smile. “Hey, G. Who have you brought with you?”

Gaia introduced, “this is Mary Winchester. Her-”

“I know who you are now,” Hester interrupted. “Come inside.”

As Mary’s gaze glided over the cozy and basic interior of the house, Gaia asked incredulously, “you got a video mentioning her too?!”

Hester lead Mary and Gaia onto a large couch. She sat in a chair adjacent to the couch while Mary and Gaia sat beside each other.

Hester said to Mary, “Gabriel told me about a Sam Winchester. I’ve been waiting two weeks, since my death day, for you to arrive.”

Gaia grinned at her sister. “Guess what?”

“What?” Hester asked warily.

“Both of Mary’s sons are dating our sons.”

Hester’s eyebrow shot up. “What?” She asked amusedly.

Mary threw up her hands and shrugged. “Apparently my older son Dean is with Castiel, while my younger son Sam is with Gabriel.”

Hester laughed, clearly more jovial than Gaia. “That is the craziest happenstance I’ve ever heard.”

Mary agreed readily. “Should we exchange pictures?”

“Ah! Yes.” Hester materialized her screen, smiling as she found an image of Gabriel and showed it to Mary.

Gabriel Smith, like Castiel, was a spitting image of his mother. Same hair, same features, same golden brown eyes. His smile was perhaps the brightest Mary had ever seen, even in comparison with Dean’s smiles. 

However, Mary couldn’t help but say, “they look a little bit alike.”

Mary pulled up her screen and froze it on Sam. She turned it towards Hester, Gaia looking from her angle to the side.

Hester hummed. “You’re right. Interesting.”

“I know we just met and all,” Gaia said, “but I have to say,” she faced Mary, “you made two handsome men. Good job.”

Mary threw her head back and laughed. “I got lucky with genetics, I’ll admit.”

“So,” Hester smiled at her sister, “I think we’ve made a new friend, G.”

Mary nodded. “We’re all in this together, now.”

————

On Mary’s death day, she received a new screen.

She practically ran from the mailbox inside her house, barely remembering to shut the front door before she curled up on the couch.

She turned the screen on, Dean sitting crisscrossed next to a bouquet of white roses. Mary noted the developing crow’s feet in his eyes as he smiled more and more often.

“Hi, Mom. I brought roses this time, even though I know they aren’t your favorite. I hope you like them, anyway.”

“Of course I do, silly boy,” Mary muttered to herself.

“I decided to bring someone to meet you today.” Dean blushed a soft pink, then looked off to his left. He held out a hand, a pair of long legs appearing on the right side of her screen. A hand reached to meet Dean’s, and he kissed it affectionately.

Castiel Novak sat beside Dean, holding his hand in his lap. “What a warm welcome,” Castiel teased, in a shockingly deep voice.

Dean hummed, his face looking upon Castiel like he hung the moon.

The way Dean shone like the sun, Mary wouldn’t be surprised if Castiel had.

“Mom,” Dean tore his eyes away from Castiel with considerable effort, “this is my lovely amazing boyfriend, Cas.”

To his credit, Castiel looked upon the stone engraving like he was addressing a living person. “Hi, Mrs. Winchester. I’ve heard so much about you.”

“Good things, I hope,” Mary said.

“Good things, Mom,” Dean said, once again predicting what she would remark if she were alive.

They continued to speak to her, Castiel exchanging pleasantries and telling Mary things about himself. Dean listened with open ears and an open heart, in awe of the man beside him.

Mary learned thus: he was a history professor at the University of Kansas, he liked visiting national monuments and travelling by car, and he collected antique records that cluttered his apartment. It became clear to Mary how Dean would love such a man; Dean loved cars with a passion, liked to travel around the Midwest, and had his own expansive record collection. All the puzzle pieces were falling into place.

Dean eventually mentioned they had to visit Castiel’s mother next, and the screen picture changed.

Sam sat in front of her tombstone next. Mary noted that he hadn’t come alone in years, not since he was younger and a troubled soul. Those days were over, but Sam being there without Dean sparked Mary’s interest.

“Hey, Mom. It’s been a long day at work,” Sam said tiredly, “but I wanted to come visit before I go home.” He tucked a longer chunk of air behind the shell of his ear. “My new job is going well, but I wish the hours weren’t so hectic. It’ll get better, though. It’s just because I’m the new guy, fresh outta law school.” Sam absentmindedly touched the petals of the white rose bouquet. “Dean was here.” He frowned. “I’m sorry I don’t have flowers, Mom.”

“It’s okay, dear,” Mary said.

Sam sighed. “It’s been a long day. I hope you’re doing good in Heaven. I should-” Sam looked to his side, his eyebrows furrowed. “What are you doing here?”

“Visiting my Mom,” an unfamiliar shadow said. A pair of short legs approached, and Sam tilted his head up. “You look like you need some sunshine.”

Sam snorted, but the look on his face was cripplingly fond. “Been a long day.”

The man hummed, settling into a crouch.

It was Gabriel Smith.

“Cheer up, Sam. It’s the weekend,” Gabriel said brightly, cupping Sam’s chin to gain his full attention. “I wanna see a smile.”

Sam smiled wryly, huffing out a laugh. “You’re ridiculous, Gabe.”

“But I got you to lighten up, didn’t I?” Looking pleased with himself, Gabriel withdrew from his touch and sat to address Mary’s grave. Gabriel’s pure beam was as devastating as Dean’s. “Hi, Mrs. Winchester. I’m Gabriel Smith, Sam’s boyfriend. It’s my job now to make sure he doesn’t look so glum all the time.”

Sam facepalmed. “I’m not glum, Gabe.”

Gabriel motioned around Sam’s face. “Um, what do you call that? That looks pretty glum to me.”

Sam rubbed his eyes, his fingers splayed along his cheeks and his palm on his jawline. “That’s fair.”

“Anyway,” Gabriel said cheerily, addressing Mary again, “I’m doing my best to cheer up your moody son. Rest assured, he’s in semi-responsible hands.”

Sam flushed red. “That’s enough now, Gabe.”

Gabriel grinned. “I have leftover cinnamon buns from this morning.”

Sam perked up, all embarrassment leaving his system. “I can’t resist cinnamon buns.”

Gabriel said a kind goodbye to Mary, standing up and leaving the screen.

Sam sent a lighthearted smile towards Mary’s grave. “I’ll see you, Mom. Love you.”

The screen faded to black as Sam stood up and left the area.

“What a character Hester raised,” Mary murmured to herself.

————

Every time they received a new screen, Mary, Gaia, and Hester shared information.

Mary watched time pass on Earth faster than usual. The world was revolving far too quickly, but she received frequent grave visits nonetheless.

Mary watched Dean grow into his thirties and Sam into his late twenties. From her perspective, they brought Castiel and Gabriel with them often.

Mary watched her sons excitedly tell them about all the important milestones: moving in with their boyfriends, assimilating into each other’s lives with little issue, getting engaged, getting married.

While Sam acted faster in regards to marriage than Dean, it warmed Mary’s heart knowing her sons were finally getting their happy endings.

But although Sam was married first, it was Dean who brought a little pink bundle in his arms first.

“Mom,” Dean said softly, “I want you to meet my daughter.” His eyes watered as he sniffled and allowed Mary to see a peaceful sleeping face. “I named her after you. I didn’t want you to be the last Mary Winchester to grace the Earth.” Dean sniffled again. “Ever since we adopted her, I’ve just been...staring at her, torn between smiling and crying. I’ve been leaning more towards crying lately.” Dean wiped a falling tear from his cheekbone. “I have no idea what I’m doing, but I like it. I didn’t know I could,” Dean smiled at the baby, “love someone this much. And I thought I loved Cas with every atom in my body.”

Mary smiled knowingly. “You understand it now, Dean.”

Dean sniffled and wiped away another tear. “I miss you, Mom. I love you still, and I’ll tell my Mary all about you. I wanna make sure she knows, and understands her namesake. I want her to be as wonderful as you, Mom, and I’m gonna do everything in my power to make it happen. I promise.”

Mary felt a wetness on her cheeks, and swiped tears away roughly.

Castiel entered the frame, crouched with a portable car seat. “Let’s go, baby,” he whispered to the baby girl. 

Dean was taken out of his trance, depositing the baby into the carrier carefully. Castiel settled her in, buckling her and covering her in a pink blanket. He kissed his finger pads and placed them on her forehead. Dean smiled softly and copied the motion, giving the girl another air kiss.

Wedding bands caught against the late afternoon light, Dean noticing it. Before Castiel could grasp the carrier handle, Dean caught his hand in his own, bringing his lips to the metal ring. Castiel’s relaxed with the simple motion, a softness reaching his features. They shared a little smile, Dean dropping Castiel’s hand.

Castiel said with a flushed face, “I hope you like your granddaughter, Mrs. Winchester. Dean assures me she’s already a bit like you.”

“The next one will be named after your mother,” Dean promised his husband.

“Oh, I don’t think she’ll like the name Gaia,” Castiel said with a head shake. “Perhaps something similar.”

Dean hummed. He addressed Mary, patting her headstone. “I’ll see you next time, Mom. I love you.”

Castiel stood up with the carrier in his grip, her namesake leaving the screen. Dean stood next, brushing off scuffed jeans. 

He followed his husband and daughter out of the graveyard, away from her, and the screen faded.

In Mary’s next few screens, Dean and Castiel brought their daughter. And every time, she grew and grew and grew.

Her namesake must have been a toddler when she got an important visit from Sam and Gabriel.

They must have been in their mid-thirties, but they looked utterly joyous and content.

And the blue bundle in Sam’s large arms was the number one reason.

“Hi, Mom. Dean told me you’ve met little Mary, so I thought I’d do the same thing.” Gabriel watched on from the sidelines as Sam showed the headstone the sleeping boy. “This is Jack. Jack Winchester.”

“Smith,” Gabriel added. “Jack Winchester-Smith is the full name.”

Mary laughed. Gabriel had grown on her over the years.

“As you can see he’s very little, and fragile,” Sam said.

“Which is why I’m currently nervous that you’re holding him in your gargantuan arms,” Gabriel teased.

Sam rolled his eyes at his husband. “So here he is, and uh, I guess I’ll let Gabe run on and on about things.”

“Gladly,” Gabriel sang.

Gabriel proceeded to talk Mary’s ear off, babbling about their lives and voicing anecdotes. Sam had the patience and adoration for Gabriel to listen, checking their son’s status every few seconds with a fond glance.

Mary recognized what Sam was feeling. It was the same feeling she had when she held Dean and Sam in her arms. The feeling of being the luckiest person alive.

Gabriel stopped speaking about fifteen minutes later, finally realizing the look plastered on Sam’s face. “What?”

Sam looked upon the sleeping boy in his lap, then at a confused Gabriel. 

Sam said, “I love you both.”

Gabriel went from confused to shocked to affectionate. He gained control of his gaping mouth and said, “I love you both too.” He smiled at the baby in Sam’s arms and cleared his throat. He said to Mary, “it was good to talk to you, even though it’s a one-sided conversation.”

Sam transferred Jack into Gabriel arms, and he stood up carefully. Mary caught Gabriel kiss the boy’s forehead gingerly before he left the screen.

Mary saw Sam melt before her very eyes, watching Gabriel go. 

Sam said to Mary’s grave, “I’ll see you soon, Mom.”

He left to follow Gabriel, Mary’s screen fading to black.

She sat on her couch in silence, a smile hurting her cheeks.

Her sons had achieved everything she wanted them to in life. Mary couldn’t be happier.

She couldn’t wait to tell Gaia and Hester.

**Author's Note:**

> Next up: a huge multi-chapter AU fic.
> 
> Kudos and comments are appreciated!


End file.
